Strip edge guide device for tube mills



Feb. 23, 1965 L. H- RUPLE ETAL Filed Dec. 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 :0 II F H F r 23 F I l4 E I L J T c Q E -V T0 WELDER 92 1 NVENTORS. LEWIS H. RUPLE B RICHARD L. DREIER ATTORNEY 1965 L. H. RUPLE ETAL STRIP EDGE GUIDE DEVICE FOR TUBE MILLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1962 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,170,427 STRIP ED'GE GUIDE DEVICE FOR TUBE MILLS Lewis H. Ruple, Perrysburg, and Richard L. Dreier,

Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Abbey Etna Machine Com- 7 pany, Perrysburg, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 242,010

3 Claims. (Cl. 113-33) This invention relates to tube mills in which an endless length or ribbon of sheet metal is progressively formed, as it advances, into a tube whereupon the abutting free edges are seamed or welded. More particularly, however, this invention is concerned with a device for preventing buckling or other distortion of the strip edge portions in the final forming stations prior to seam welding.

An object of the invention is to produce a simple strip edge guide device which is .to guide the strip edge portions as they pass from one station to another and militates against buckling thereof and to insure that the tube is properly formed when it reaches the welding station.

Another object is to produce a strip edge guide device of this character which is adjustable to accommodate the inclination of the tube as well as different diameter tubes.

A still further object is to provide guiding means for the tube edge portions intermediate the usual fin roll passes to enable the tube to advance from one to another without deformation of the tube despite the thinness of the tube wall.

Other objects reside in details of construction, arrangement and operation, and, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a fin roll sequence with strip edge guiding devices associated therewith and showing a portion of tube passing therethrough;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a tube as it is formed with a set of strip edge rollers in position of use and with the remaining parts removed;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing and end view of the roller carriage and indicating how the rollers engage the tube edge portions;

FIGURE 4 is a side edge elevation of a strip edge guide device;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of a strip edge guide device;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a strip edge guide device; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the roller containing carriage.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2, a partially formed tube T is illustrated. This tube is formed from an endless ribbon of sheet metal which has been advanced in a well known manner between forming rollers which gradually shape the strip into a tube. As shown the free edges are uppermost and are indicated at E and are gradually being brought together. The final forming of the strip into tube form is achieved by a series of fin rolls F. It will be understood that suitable rolls or other guiding means are arranged beneath the fin rolls F shown on FIGURE 1.

In this instance there are three fin rolls which are spaced axially from each other. Eeach fin roll has a pair of outer rim portions r and integral with each rim portion is a curvilinear tube-engaging wall w. Preferably one rim portion is mounted for rotation relatively to the other rim portion. Intermediate the two rim portions is a fin c and against the sides of each fin the strip edges B may abut as the strip is advanced. It will be observed that the fins 0 decreases in thickness as the tube advances, this being necessary because the gap between the strip edges E is gradually decreasing to a point where the two edges are brought into engagement with each other. The tube then advances to a welding station not shown where the free edges are welded together in a suitable and well known manner.

It should be understood that with relatively thin wall tubing there is a tendency for the edge portions of the strip to buckle during the final forming operation and before the tube reaches the welding station where the edges E are seamed together. In order to militate against buckling of the edge portions of the tube, tube edge guide devices are interposed between the fin roll stands. As will hereafter appear, these guide devices include a series of closely spaced rollers which engage the edge portions of the tube and guide the same as it advances. These guide devices occupy substantially the entire space between adjacent fin rolls so that at all times are the strip edges in engagement with the guide devices or rollers and are thus held against distortion or objectionable buckling action.

Each of the tube edge guide devices comprises a pair of laterally spaced upright supports 10 which, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 6, are respectively secured to machine frame parts 11. Extending inwardly from the upper portion of each of the upright supports 10 is a bracket plate 12 which is secured to the respective support 10 by a series of bolts 13. Bolted to the inner edge portions of the bracket plates 12 is an inverted U-shaped supporting frame 14 which is provided with vertical guide ways 15. Vertically adjustable in the vertical guide ways 15 is a slide 16, on the lower end of which is an integral fore and aft plate 17. It will be observed that the plate 17 extends forwardly and rearwardly beyond the vertical slide 16. Depending from the horizontal plate 17 is an intermediate bracket 18 which carries a roller carriage 19 as will hereinafter appear. A pivot pin 20 extends horizontally through a hole in the bracket 18 and the ends of the pin engage a pair of upstanding brackets 21 forming a part of the carriage 19.

The roller carriage 19 has an inverted U-shaped carriage body 22. Mounted in the body between the sides of the carriage body is a series of closely spaced axially parallel rollers 23. Each roller constitutes an integral structure having a central annular tapered fin 24. On opposite sides of the fin 24 are outwardly flared conical side portions 25. As depicted in FIGURE 2 the tube which is being formed passes under and in engagement with the rollers 23 so that the free edges of the tube are confined by the rollers and held against buckling movement although the conical surfaces of the rollers enable relatively free movement of the edges as the latter are being gradually brought together.

The slide 16 which carries the roller carriage 19 is vertically adjustable by a screw 26, which threadedly engages the cross portion of the U frame 14. The lower end of the screw is suitably connected to the slide 16 so that it can rotate but is confined against axial movement. A lock nut 27 secures the screw 26 in its position of adjustment. Thus by manipulation of the screw 26 the series of rollers can be properly adjusted vertically relative to the tube T.

It will be manifest that the roller carriage 19 can rock about its pivot pin 20 which is disposed,centrally of the carriage and this enables the rollers to be inclined to conform to the inclination of the advancing tube. It will be observed that the horizontal plate of the slide 16 has pairs of screws 28 and 29 at opposite end portions. Thus by loosening one pair of screws and tightening up on the other the desired inclination can be imparted to the series of rollers.

A pair of screws 30 carried by. the frame are adapted to be adjusted with respect to the slide plate 17 for locking the latter against upward movement.

From FIGURE 1 it will be observed that the series of rollersare disposed between adjacent fin rolls and also may be disposed in advance of the foremost fin roll and immediately prior to the welding station in such manner as to confine the edges of the strip and hold them against buckling and guide their advancing movement. The form of the rollers 23 is such as to permit relatively free movement of the strip edges as the latter advance and converge.

mentand choice of materials may be effected without departing from the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a tube mill in which a sheet metal ribbon is gradually formed into a tube and the edges thereof are seam welded and in which the final forming is effected by a series of fin roll passes which are spaced from each other and are arranged adjacent the welder,-the improvement comprising edge guide devices for the ribbon substantially occupying the space between adjacent fin roll passes and between the last fin roll pass and the welding point and including a set of rollers along which the edges of the ribbon travel, said rollers arranged in closely Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangespaced axially parallel relationship to one another, each of said rollers consisting of side portions which taper outwardly from an intermediate portion, the; edge guide devices containing the ribbon edgesand militating against distortion thereof from the time the ribbon enters the first fin roll ass until it reaches the welding point.

2 The organization as claimeclin claim 1 in which each series of rollers is mounted ina carriage and means for angularly adjusting said carriage to accommodate the inclination of the advancing tube in a longitudinal plane.

3. The organization as claimed in claim 1 in which each edge guide deviceuis tiltable to accommodate the longitudinal inclination of the advancing tube and is adjustable vertically to accommodate dil'r'erent diameter tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Dec. 19, 1955 

1. IN A TUBE MILL IN WHICH A SHEET METAL RIBBON IS GRADUALLY FORMED INTO A TUBE AND THE EDGES THEREOF ARE SEAM WELDED AND IN WHICH THE FINAL FORMING IS EFFECTED BY A SERIES OF FIN ROLL PASSES WHICH ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND ARE ARRANGED ADJACENT THE WELDER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING EDGE GUIDE DEVICES FOR THE RIBBON SUBSTANTIALLY OCCUPYING THE SPACE BETWEEN ADJACENT FIN ROLL PASSES AND BETWEEN THE LAST FIN ROLL PASS AND THE WELDING POINT AND INCLUDING A SET OF ROLLERS ALONG WHICH THE EDGES OF THE RIBBON TRAVEL, SAID ROLLERS ARRANGED IN CLOSELY SPACED AXIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER, EACH OF SAID ROLLERS CONSISTING OF SIDE PORTIONS WHICH TAPER OUTWARDLY FROM AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION, THE EDGE GUIDE DEVICES CONTAINING THE RIBBON EDGES AND MILITATING AGAINST DISTORTION THEREOF FROM THE TIME THE RIBBON ENTERS THE FIRST FIN ROLL PASS UNTIL IT REACHES THE WELDING POINT. 